Facts vs Myths
There are lots and lots of people that assume essential oils are safe to be used liberally, without any dilution, because it comes from a natural source. If you are using essential oils this way, please stop doing so immediately. With the exception of very few oils, essential oils should never be used neat when applying on skin.
Pure essential oils are very potent because of its concentration, and should be treated with care and respect.
We know that essential oils are extracted from plants, herbs, seeds and so on. Certain oils such as lavender and tea tree are gentle to be applied neat to the skin, but essential oils in generally must be diluted prior to topical application (applying on skin), due to being high in concentration.
Carrier oils are oils that are applied on the skin, which assist to carry the essential oil to larger areas of the body, while at the same time helping to dilute the essential oils prior to application. Essential oils can be very dangerous when applied to the skin undiluted, causing skin irritation, sensitisation and adverse reactions. Carrier oils are less”sensitive” as compared to essential oils in the sense that they are not volatile, and do not oxidize like how essential oils do. They are much less powerful than essential oils in general, and therefore are fine and meant to be applied directly onto the skin.
All essential oils have a shelf life to them, even 100% pure essential oils.